Means for and method of ascertaining combustion characteristics of premixtures



M. M. CANNON, JR

MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF ASCERTAINING COMBUSTION CHARACTERISTICS OF PREMIXTURES Filed Aug. 19, 1947 July 15, 1952 E lllnl E? :nu:

INVENTOR mmsoN H. CANNoN Jn.

g!! w www@ ATTORNEYS' Patented July 15, 1952 l' UNITED STATES PATENT oFFICELf MANS Foa AND MErHoDoF AsoiinTAiNf -INGTr coMBUs'rIoN CHARACTERISTICS or Madison M. Cannon, Jr., West Hartford, Conn., assignor to Emhart Manufacturing Company,

a corporation of Delaware Apprentice August 19, 1947, serial No. '169,390

The present invention relates toa means for and method of ascertaining the combustion char; acteristics of premixtures, particularly premixtures of combustible gas and air such as are used as a'source of heat energy for glass feeder forehearths,v and other heat utilizing equipment.

It is an object of the-present invention to provide a vmeans for the method of ascertaining whetherfuel and air have been united in apremixture in chemically Vcorrect proportions re-A quired for completecombustion of the fuel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive device to facilitate the accurate regulation of the correct proportions of'combustible gas and air supplied to a heat liberating means, such as a; gas burner.

A further object of the present invention is the provision 'of a means for and method of conveniently indicating deviations inthe proportions of constituents of a premixture from the chemically correct proportions required for eiiicient combustion thereof.` g

Another object ofthe present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive means for and method of indicating whether intermediate combustion productswill result from the combustion of .a given prenlixture.V Y,

n A still further object of the presen-t invention is to' provide a means f orV and method of detectingvfvariations in combustion characteristics of aycombustible medium being intimately uni-,ted with a medium, capable of supporting combuse tion. to form a premixture.

invention will become apparent or be pointed out inthecourse of the following description which lia particular `reference to the accompanying drawing .which shows, mainly in vertical section, a preferredv embodiment of tliepresent invention iii` operative relationshipA with a supply main into which' combustible vgasand air may be introduced desired quantities by suitable regulating At present most feeder forehearths and certain glass furnaces are heated by Y means of premixed fuel andair supplied to multiplicities of burners placed atpoints of vantage ini the wall structures thereof. Where it is economically feasible'to do so; aY combustible gas," such asnatu'ral gas, illumiiiating gas, or producer gas is employed as fuel. Under certain conditions` of operation, an amount of air-'sufficient for the complete combustion oi the gas is premixed therewith to form a combust-V iblemixture. It is noteworthy that a premixtui'e of a combustible and air in the che'mically\cora rectprcportions for complete combustion may be Other objects and advantages of the present l1 Claims. (Cl. i3-2 5) 2 burned to final productsA of combustion without a secondary air supply being required.

The combusible gas is piped to the glass making plant where it is mixed Ywith the proper` amount of air preparatory to being supplied to burners of a heat utilizing unit. The pressure of such gas may be controlled by a commercial regulator. It has been found in practice that the chemical composition, temperature and specific gravity of the gas vary and adversely'affect the combustion. 'I'he temperature and Vloarom'etric. pressure of air also vary and similarly raffect the combustion. When, as in one application of the present invention to a glassr :melting furnace',- neither fuel' nor air is preheated, then the flame temperature developed by the combustion is only a few hundred degreesFahrenheithigher thanY the furnace temperature, and willdecrease very rapidly if the fuel-'air mixture is either lean or rich, with'a resultant high fuel yconsumption or even inability to maintain the vdesired ,tempera' ture. Regulation of flame temperature, .therefore, is of concern in applying the principle of the present invention. Byproviding a mixture of lishing a `cl 1emically correct premixture, of ,a

combustible gas and'air in a supply main, generally designated` l, which may feed gas burners (not shown) o f a glass furnace Vor other associated heat utilizing device. YA ombustiblagas may be introduced into a new regulator, gen,-v1

erally designated 2, by means of a'communicat'mg pipe line Sand may be mixed 4with any desired quantity ofv air as determined by the setting of the ow regulator. Air may enter the flow regulator through entry port 2a or any other means provided for the purpose@ After the gas is mixedwitli airto form a combustible ,premixtura it may flow to supply main l by means of a communieating pipe 3a. The Setting 0f the' flOWre'gu'lator may be varied at will by the rotation of a hand wheel 4 which turns shaft '.i of the iioW regulator by virtue of miter' gears Gand connecting shaftv 6a, The flow regulator, per se', does not constitutev apart ofthe present" invention andm'ay'b 3 any one of` a number of commercially available types, such as a McKee Cone-Type Proportional Mixer manufactured by the Eclipse Fuel Engineering Company of Rockford, Illinois.

The illustrative embodiment of the present invention comprises a cylindrical outer housing 1 secured in an upright position to a stationary base, generally designated 8, the housing being closed at its upper end as shown at 9. A tubular ue I0, made from porcelain or any durable refractory material, may be centrally disposed within housing 1 and may be thermally insulated therefrom for a major portion of its axial length by insulation I I, a small portion ofthe upper end of the ilue projecting beyond-the-insulation as indicated at I2. Another cylindrical member I3 is joined to housing 1 at a position corresponding to the location of the top end of flue I0, substantially as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and has secured to its outer end an optical sighting device, generally designated I4, which may consist of an eye shield I5 in which is formed a centrally disposed aperture I6. By use of'this sighting device, an attendant may view the upper endoffluell)` L Y@ A small jet I1 may be sealed within the lower end of ilue Ill by conventional means, such as shown at Ila, and may be supplied with a sample of the premixture from supplyv main I by means of a communicating pipe line, generally designated I8, in which a filter I9 and pressure regulator 20 may be provided as an aid in assuring that a clean, pressure regulated sample of the premixture will be fed to jet I1. The premixture may issue from jet I1 and be ignited in any conventional manner, thus forming a small flame within nue I0, as indicated by dotted lines at 2 I.

A purpose of the long tubular flue I0 is to carry the combustion products away from the flame so that Ya minimum of light is visible across the upper end of the flue. If the mixture is rich,

a carbon monoxide llame will be produced. Such to secure ignition at the top of the tube if carbon monoxideis present. After-a'short period of time, flue I0 will become heated and will reach a state of thermal equilibrium, the upper end I2 of the nue attaining a` temperature sufficient to ignite. any of the unburned combustible gases passing thereto from jet I1.

Secondary air to support the combustion of these gases may be introduced into housing 1 below the upper end of flue I0 by means of holes 22, preferably four in number, formed in the side wall of the housing. Thus, if the premixtureof gas and air, being fed to jet I1 from supply main I. contains an amount of air insuflicient to permit the complete combustion of the' combustible gas unitedftherewith in theV premixture, intermediate combustion products, such'as carbon-monoxide, will be formed above flamer 2I and will join with other unburned combustibles, issuing from `jet I1, and secondary air, introduced by holes 22, to burn with a flame at' the upper end of flue III, as indicated by dotted lines at'23. The nal products of combustion may leave housing `1 by means of exhaust pipe 24, secured inthe upper end thereof.

The flame at the upper end of the flue may be readily observed by an attendant looking through optical sightingdevice I4 and willfserve as an indication that the premixture in the supply main requires additional air which may be added by a suitable adjustment of the setting of flow regulator 2. The attendant may turn hand wheel 4 while viewing the upper end of flue I0 and will know When sufficient air has been added to the premixture by the disappearance of flame 23. At this point, the entire combustible gas in the premixture will be burned in llame 2I and no intermediate combustion products will be formed. It has been found in practice that extremely accurate regulation of the proportions of constituents in the premixture is possible with the aid of the present device.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a thermocouple 25 in the side of housing 1 and ilue I0 in position to measure the temperature above flame 2|. Thermocouple 25 may be connected to a conventional recording potentiometer 26 which may be used to indicate and record the temperature being measured. The potentiometer may be placed at any convenient position where its temperature indication may be noted periodically by the attendant, who, with the aid of the potentiometer readings, may judge the nature of the premixture in supply main lI.

A definite, fixed volume of premixture issues from jet I1 in any given time period because'of the fixed size of the jet and the constant pressure of the premixture, entering the jet, which is maintained by pressure regulator 20. If the premixture, burning above jet I1, contains the chemically correct proportions of combustible gas and air, heat will be liberated in flame 2I at a given rate and potentiometer 26 will indicate a corresponding temperature value. If, for any reason, the premixture containsan insufficient amount of air, a smaller amount of heat will be liberated at a lower rate than that pertaining when the chemically correct premixture is burned and po- In case the premixture issuing from jet I1 should contain an excessive amount of air, the' rate of heat liberation will again be less than that pertaining when the chemically correct mixture is burned, and potentiometer 26 will againv indicate a proportionately lower temperature reading. However, as has been explained hereinbefore, no combustion will occur above flue IIIA since no intermediate combustion products orh unburned combustible gas, from the premixture issuing from jet I1, will remain after combustion4 in flame 2|.

Thus, observation of the temperature readingA indicate an insufficient or excessiveamount of, air, respectively, in the premixture relative'to.

the proper amount of air for complete combustion of the combustible gas.

It will be understood by those skilled the f art that flow regulator 2 may be adjusted by hand d,

wheel 4 to proportion the constituents, entering the supply main, as required to form a chem'- ically correct premixture for completecombustion. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the present invention may be used as an aid in the accurate adjustment of anytype of flow regulator that may be used to premixthe constituents in the. desired proportions.

If the combustion characteristics 4ofthe fuel--` air mixture, being supplied to supply main I from flow regulator 2, should vary, the temperature reading of potentiometer 2S Will vchange and serve, in conjunction with the presence or absence of a flame above flue I, as an indication of thenature of the adjustment that must'be made in the proportions of the components of the premixture to restore it to the desired composition.

Occasionally, it may be necessary or desirable toadjust the setting of pressure regulatorio in order to regulate the amount of4 premixture issuing-from 'jet Il. To facilitate such an adjustment, pet cock 21 may be `provided in the line after the regulator, arid may be used to determine occasionally if pressure regulator is maintaining the desired xed pressure. ItV may be adapted for the connection thereto of any conventional pressure measuring means (not shown), such as a U tube, oneV side of which may be connected to the pet cock and the other side vented to the atmosphere.

Specic reference has been made in this specication to the application of the present invention in the glass industry and to the use of producer gas, illuminating gas, or vnatural gas as the combustible of the premixture. it should be y understood that such reference is by way oi' illustration and not by way of limitation and that the present invention may be used to advantage wherever a combustible premixture is involved. Thus, by way of example, the present invention may be used advantageously to adjust the proportions of a light fuel oil vapor and air being united to form a combustible mixture.

I do not Wish to be limited to the details of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing as various changes therein and modifications thereof will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

Having described a preferred embodiment of my invention and a practical application thereof, I claim:

1. In a device for ascertaining the combustion characteristics of a premixture of a combustible and a medium capable of supporting combustion, an upwardly extending nue, means positioned within the lower end of said flue for burning therein a sample of the lpremixture, and a housing surrounding said flue, said housing being formed to denne an aperture adjacent to said flue for the ingress of secondary air to support combustion at the upper end of said ue of cornbustible gases passing thereto from said, rst named means, said housing also being formed to denne an aperture through which evidence of combustion at the upper end of said lue may be observed, said housing further being formed to denne an opening for the egress therefrom of spent products resulting from combustion occurring therein.

2. Apparatus as dened in claim l and, in addition, means positioned within said iiue to measure the temperature above said iirst named means.

3. In a device for ascertaining the combustion characteristics of a premixture of a combustible and a medium capable of supporting combustion, an upwardly extending flue, means positioned within the lower end of said Iiue for burning therein a sample of the premixture, a housing surrounding said flue, means for introducing secondary air into said housing adjacent to said nue to support combustion at the upper end of said ilue of combustible gases passing 'thereto from saidA firstvv named means,;"means for! the' egress fromsaid housingof spent products 'result-1. ing from combustion occurring therein, and means associatedwit'h said housing vtofp'erniit the observation of the upper end of said Hue'. f l

4. :Apparatus as defined in claim 3T and, in addi tion, means positioned within said flue to measure the temperature above said rstfnamedmeans. 5'. Apparatus comprising avertically disposed ue, an enclosure surrounding said flue-'and thermally insulated therefrom, means Ip'ositior'i'ed within the lower end ofy said .fiue `for burning therein a premixture ofa combustibleV and` ya,

medium capable of ysupporting combustion, means v positioned within said iiue to measure the temperature above said iirst namedmeans,means for introducing adjacent to the upper end off-said flue a' secondary medium for supporting combus`= tion above said ue of combustible gases passing thereto from saidfirst named means, means for the egress from the enclosure of spent products resulting from combustion Within said ilue and above said flue, and means through which to observe the upper end of said flue.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which said nue comprises a tube of refractory material.

'7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 and, in addition, adjustable means for regulating the proportion of combustible to combustion supporting medium in the premixture burned thereby.

8. Apparatus comprising a more or less cylindrical housing, a vertically disposed tube of refractory material centrally positioned therein and insulated therefrom, means connected with the lower end of said tube for burning therein a premixture of air and fuel, means positioned within said tube above said iirst named means to measure the ambient temperature resulting from the combustion of the premixture, means connected with said housing for introducing secondary air to the upper end of said tube to support the combustion thereat of combustible gases passing thereto from said first named means, an exhaust pipe connected with said housing for the egress of combustion products therefrom, and optical sighting means through which to observe the upper end of said tube for evidence of combustion thereat.

9. Apparatus as dened in claim 8 in which said optical sighting means comprises a tubular member secured at right angles to said housing, an eye shield secured to the outer end of said tubular member, and means within said tubular member to limit the extent of the eld of vision of the upper end of said tube.

10. Apparatus as deiined in claim 9 in which said rst named burning means comprises a conventional jet for burning a gaseous mixture.

l1. The method of ascertaining the relative proportions oi a regulatable premixture of combustibles and combustion supporting medium which includes burning a pressure regulated flow of the premixture at a first point from which additional combustibles and combustion supporting medium are excluded, measuring the temperature produced by said burning to determine deviations from that produced by a premixture properly proportioned for complete combustion of the constituent combustibles and combustion supporting medium, directing the products of combustion from said first point to a second point, excluding from said second point combustibles other than those remaining in the products of combustion from the burning of the premixture at the first point, providing an additional combustion supporting medium at said second point for sustaining combustion at said second point of combustibles contained in said products of combustion, and continually supplying ignition heatto said second point from said first point to provide for simultaneous burning at both points,

a. flame at said second point indicating the presence of combustibles in the aforesaid products of combustion, the threshold point of no name at saidsecond point indicating the complete combustion of the combustibles of said premixture without an excess of combustion supporting medium in said premixture, and an absence of Aiiame at said second point; together with a temperature other than that produced by a premixture properly proportioned for complete combustion registered by said measuring means indicating an excess of combustion supporting medium in said premixture.

MADISON M. CANNON, JR.

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

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Number Name Date 1,525,406 Martienssen- Feb. 3, 1925 1,627,204V Ruben May 3, 1927 1,942,323 Blodgett Jan.'2, 1934 2,052,181 Krogh Aug. 25, 1936 2,058,522 Smyly Oct. 2'7, 1936 2,519,237 Dufour Aug. 15, 1950 2,523,721 Russell et a1 Sept. 26, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 22,595 Great Britain Oct. 9, 1902 

